Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Sweet Home Alabama

So, so much love for the South. I decided to start with the pictures I took in Birmingham, Alabama during my road trip with my sister Natalie (of Natalie off Duty), Rachel (of That's Chic) and Stephanie (of Honey N Silk). It was the one city on our road trip that we got to spend the most time during the day in, as opposed to night. We had what felt like less than a day (including driving) in each city (New Orleans, Birmingham and Nashville) before making our way to Manchester, TN for Bonnaroo. Man, what a trip! I couldn't tell if it all went by in a flash, or if it felt like we were on the road for a month straight. In the end, we did it and we made it to Bonnaroo unscathed. The first thing we did when we finally crossed the city limit for Birmingham from New Orleans, was pull over on the side of the freeway and take our shirts and bras off. Let me tell you, we got a whole lot of honks from passing trucks. What a free feeling though! You know me, always up for a chance to get a naked. We arrived in Birmingham on a super rainy and thunderous night. We were tired and hungry and not sure where to go on our first night in town. Food was obviously number one on our itinerary, our bellies screaming for sustenance even after all the deliciousness we ate just a few hours before in New Orleans. The thing is, we all wanted salads because everything we've been eating prior has been fried and extremely fatty. But hey, that the reason you come to the South right? We ended up hitting up Carrigan's Public House, an industrial gastropub and cocktail bar with an impeccable craft beer list. A twist on classic bar food. We went for the healthier options, but apparently, the corn dog here is really amazing! After food, we went to check out the much talked about the Color Tunnel. A trippy experience for sure! You'll see once I get our road trip video together. There are a few in the city; former abandoned underpasses built in 1931 brought back to life with thousands LED lights that all change to the beat of some sort of psychedelic melody. It gives the city's pedestrians and commuters more reason to use these underpasses, especially so at night, when they shine the brightest.

A little thrift shopping at the local Salvation Army got us up early, as we didn't have much time left in town, and there was still at least two things we had to see and do! I got this striped top at the Salvation Army for $1! As a group, we settled on spending the last two hours of our time there at Oak Mountain State Park. It was an extremely hot and humid day, and we needed a body of water ASAP. A beach on a lake? SOLD. All the locals were hanging out with their families. The lake water dotted with colorfully patterned inner tubes and blow up floaty chairs. Not sure if this was the most exciting thing to do on a sticky summer day in Alabama, but it sure felt like exactly the right thing to do. Lazy afternoons splashing around. Mosquitos buzzing around our ears even though we smothered ourselves in bug spray. BBQ on the porch. Time feels so much slower here for some reason, even though we had to rush, but only because we had a day. In reality, there is no reason to rush. Just reason to enjoy.

Oh man, and how can I forget Saw's BBQ? This was high on our list for the get-go. It closed early the night before, so we made sure to hit it up before we started our drive to Nashville. Their original pulled pork options on the menu are what everyone really raves about. I'm a chicken loving girl, so of course I went for the classic BBQ chicken smothered in an impeccable white sauce that literally blew my mind. With a side of mac n' cheese and a refreshing pile of coleslaw, and an ice cold beer, I left that place the happiest of campers.

Meet Dylana Suarez

EMAIL: dylanainwonderland@gmail.com

My name is Dylana Suarez. My friends call me Dy. I'm a creative consultant, writer, stylist, self-taught photographer and style blogger. I've worked in so many different aspects in the fashion industry so far, from freelance journalist to creative copywriter to e-comm stylist to social media manager. This blog has followed me along the entire way. Now I do it all via DYLANA/SUAREZ. Born and raised in sunny Southern California but currently based out of NYC (since May 2013) after a two year layover in Philadelphia. Fashion is what makes me wake up in the morning. Writing clears my head and mends my heart. Stories help me sleep at night. I see the world through my camera lens. This is my little online fashion diary, and I hope you enjoy reading it and coming along for the ride.